The cutting edge

Tuesday 19 June 2012

Grass clippings are usually seen as a problem, but they are an asset if you follow the golden rule of gardening.

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Dave Allan

Almost all your garden waste should be composted or recycled and most plant growth that is not diseased ought to end up in the compost heap to provide nutrients for future plantings.

Provided grass clippings have not been treated with herbicides or synthetic fertilisers, they are a valuable resource. If you have too many grass clippings, reduce grass vigour by not using fertiliser. During a dry spell, keep the grass short by cutting it two or three times a week. Leave the grass box off and let the tiny amount of clippings shrivel in the sun.

Manage your lawn so you'll have less grass to compost. A big pile of grass forms a dense, smelly, airless heap in a small compost bin. Prevent this stink by adding only 15-20cm of clippings at a time. If you have a large New Zealand box or compost bay, you can chuck in much more. My 1.5m² bays can easily handle the contents of a large builder's bag.Another method is to make special bays for grass clippings. Build a double bay by driving six 1.2m posts into the ground to make two 1m² boxes. Contain the grass in each bay with rabbit netting. Use one bay throughout the first year. Mix shreddings, crumpled or shredded paper or straw with the grass and, during the second year, cover the material with a sheet. You'll end up with perfectly usable, sweet-smelling compost instead of an airless, smelly pile. Grass also makes a good mulch for shrubs and trees, beneath hedges or even some vegetables. Put cardboard or a thick layer of newspaper on moist soil and cover with 2-4cm of grass clippings. When the grass has shrivelled and shrunk, it'll be time to cut the lawn again so add fresh cuttings on top. The paper or card excludes light, so weeds won't germinate and any weed seeds in the grass will germinate but won't grow because the seedlings can't reach the soil. Worms will process the carbon-rich paper and nitrogenous grass, providing valuable nutrients for nearby plants. Grass clippings are just as useful in the fruit and veg garden. Apply the mulch around soft fruit bushes thereby stopping weeds competing for nutrients, shading out the light and preventing air circulation through the bushes. Your garden may be neater than mine, but without a mulch, I know that I'd be stung by nettles every time I plucked a currant. Mulching around fruit trees also prevents competition for nutrients.My favourite use for grass is for courgettes. These veg require warm soil and grow well on a hot bed. Fresh horse muck is best for this, but grass clippings make a reasonable alternative. Dig a 60cm² hole, placing the soil to one side. Fill the hole with fresh clippings and cover with a mix of soil and well rotted compost. Put a permeable membrane over the soil to keep in the warmth and stop weeds germinating. Plant the courgette through the membrane two or three days later, once the grass has warmed the soil. Prevent scorching by making sure the roots sit above the grass.

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